1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a venting arrangement for apparel such as sportswear, casual wear, technical wear, and the like. The invention is particularly suitable for venting of outdoor apparel and sporting equipment such as wind breakers and winter sport jackets. The invention also relates to an apparel or an item of apparel that includes such a venting arrangement.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
People working in different outdoor occupations or involved in sports and/or open air activities normally wear some kind of waterproof or at least windproof garments.
An important drawback in the use of waterproof or windproof garments is the poor venting of such garments.
Because the material must be waterproof or windproof, it generally also is a barrier to the evaporation of moisture exuded from the body during physical exercise, which further increases the rate of sweating and leads to wetting of clothes worn under the waterproof or windproof garment.
The breathing of waterproof and/or windproof garments can be improved in two ways. The garments can be produced from appropriate materials which are permeable to water vapor but not to condensed water. Garments produced from such materials are characterized by extreme lightweight and a relatively good breathability.
However, such breathable materials are expensive and very fragile. Moreover their breathability is limited to a given ratio of transmission of water vapor which may not always be sufficient for the wearer, and whereby condensation of exudate can still occur especially during strong physical exercise and sweating particularly in sporting activities.
Another way to improve the breathability of garments is to provide them with venting means such as openings, comprising fastening mechanisms to close or open the openings upon need. The problem in such venting means is to keep the opening open enough so as to enable entry of air even when the user is not moving.
Such types of venting means are already known, for example by JP 8284009, wherein a cut, or cut-out, is provided in the outer surface of a cloth, the cut being provided with a zip fastener for its opening/closing and a hook and loop fastener being also provided to maintain the opening open. However, in the venting means, manipulations are required to maintain the cut wide open. Furthermore, such manipulations can be particularly difficult to execute when the user wears gloves such as ski or snowboard gloves. Such a system is therefore not very practical.
It is an object of the present invention to achieve an efficient and simple venting arrangement for the improvement of ventilation and breathability of apparel, such venting arrangement being adaptable to various types of clothing and also waterproof, windproof clothing, and also any sporting or work clothing.
Therefore, the invention is directed to a venting arrangement for apparel including at least one vent or ventilation opening and means to expand the ventilation opening when increased ventilation is needed, as well as to the item of apparel itself.
In a preferred embodiment, such opening expander is an elastic device which is compressed during closing of the vent, so that the elastic means tend to automatically return to its original shape when the opening is opened, thus widening automatically the opening. Consequently, the opening remains widely open whatever the movements of the wearer, and provides the required ventilation.